High fly to center field!

[mr3856a]

Sorry for the baseball reference (but can my Mets PLEASE win tonight?!?!?).

Anyway, I think this might turn out to be another Greg Norman's Secret thread (or the other Greg's right-hand drill), but I have a thingy that has always happened with my ball, and I'm wondering if anyone else has had this and if so, what they did.

I hit the ball high - really, REALLY high. I'm a big guy - 6'2 - and I've always been able to spank my long irons. Even my 3 iron goes a mile high. I have an 8.5 degree driver. IT goes really high. Get a wedge in my hands - ooh boy. I make good contact with a wedge, it goes pretty much straight up. I still hit a PW 110 or so, but I figure if I don't hit it as high, it'll probably go 30 or 40 yards farther. Not that I'm one of those "I hit a 150 PW" guys, it's just I think I hit the ball too damned high.

I just think my launch angle is way too high for my irons.

I hit a driver 280+, 3-wood 235, sometimes further. Even those take a space flight to get to where they're going.

I have a strong left hand grip and a fairly neutral right hand. I get the feeling I'm flipping my hands.

Any ideas?

[mr3856a]

Re: High fly to center field!

You maybe over-extending the wrist in the backswing. Over-cocking.

This sounds like a distinct possibility - I've never really paid attention to it, to be honest. I guess making the hands/wrists less active on the way back would make them less active on the way through the hitting zone?

What should I look for to know that I'm over-cocking? To be honest, I had even thought of mentioning this in my original post - my full pitching wedge flies like a 110 yard flop shot. Seriously! It basically goes straight up (obviously not, but it sure looks that way).

Any suggestions or info would be appreciated.

[mr3856a]

Re: High fly to center field!

2nd. Stick your lead hand out in front of you, elbow bent, like shaking hands, thumb up. Try to cock the thumb back. Unless you are double jointed you can not cock the lead wrist back to far.

So with your hand in this position, with the thumb pointing straight up at the sky, is this the maximum wrist cock you should have on a full shot? If that's the case, I'm pretty sure now that I'm overdoing it.

I can cock the wrist past this position if I try (like the motion you would use drinking from a glass, for example, which causes the wrist to cup), but if I'm understanding you correctly, this is too much wrist cock...?

Mike

[mr3856a]

Re: High fly to center field!

the grip coming away from the fat pad of the lead hand at the top of the backswing.

I just took a few practice swings in the yard, and this is definitely happening. I take it the grip should remain in contact with the fat pad of the lead hand throughout?

[pgmetcalf]

Re: High fly to center field!

It might also be that your clubs are too short for you so you tend to stoop over the ball and swing a bit more upright.

Try and swing a bit slower and try to feel the clubhead drag rather than swat.

It might be the balls you are using - do they have a high trajectory?

[Mr_Change]

Re: High fly to center field!

with your short irons you need the ball to go high so it lands and stops. You get good distance with your driver. I wouldn't worry about changing it aslong as you can aim it then don't worry. 110 yards is still okay. on a 400 yard par 4 you hit driver and then pull out your pw most guys will use a driver and a long iron.